A record-setting season for the South Pasadena High cross-country team came to a close at the CIF State Cross Country Championships at Woodward Park in Fresno on Saturday where the girls team paced their way against a highly competitive field of runners and one runner represented the Tigers boys’ group in the Division IV race.
Despite some adversity, the South Pasadena girls’ cross-country team came in sixth overall with 207 points, collectively clocking in 1 hour, 37 minutes, 52 seconds in the Division IV meet.
“The best performance we’ve ever had in the history of our school,” SPHS cross-country coach Mike Parkinson said. “It’s a great season. You can’t complain about the little hiccups that go on here and there, but it was spectacular, really.”
The Tigers were led by junior Saidbh Byrne who came in 12th at 18:15. Junior Sofia Humphrey followed in 42nd at 19:23.8, and junior Abigail Errington finished right behind her in 43rd at 19:24.8. Junior Chloe Koo came in 65th at 19:53.6, sophomore Rose Vandevelde in 106th at 20:54.6 and sophomore Amada Cortes at 109th in 20:55.7.
“Quite frankly, with [Errington] having that performance, I’m thinking we’re going to get worse than 10th, there’s no way we’re going to fall apart,” Parkinson said. “We actually held on to sixth place, which is one worse than last year when we had our very best showing of all time. To be that close with this adversity, I’m super proud of them for sticking it out and with all of the rest of the girls doing pretty well.”
It wasn’t the result Errington had hoped for, added Parkinson. The CIF Southern Section Division IV runner-up and Rio Hondo League individual champion did not feel completely 100% leading up to the state meet and trucked through the race despite illness.
Regardless, Parkinson praised the junior’s efforts in Fresno. Errington set a school record at every course she ran, according to Parkinson, including the Woodward Park course which she participated in at the Clovis Invitational in October.
Other runners weren’t completely healthy either, or were traveling back from the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Overall, super great experience,” Parkinson said. “It’s the full journey that we’re looking at – the full experience. Sometimes we have to be a little lucky to not get sick or not get injured and we were, unfortunately, not lucky on the final day of the season. … Even with that, we have to still be proud of the sixth place and holding on to that.”
JSerra, considered the top team in the nation, won the CIF State Division IV girls’ team title with 40 points. La Jolla sophomore Chiara Dailey won the individual crown with a time of 17:09.2.
“We absolutely look forward to next year,” said Parkinson of the team’s returning core group of runners. “We have, now, a podium finish in grasp. Not even wishful thinking. It was within our grasp. With a regular performance, we get second or third, and La Cañada can say the same thing, so could Oaks Christian. We all can say that, but the reality is, we’re up in the hunt for next year for getting on the podium. That’s what we’re going to look forward to. … That will be our mantra all season, all year long, to get back there again.”
The South Pasadena girls’ team finished third overall at the CIF Southern Section Cross Country Championships on Nov. 18, and was runner-up at the Rio Hondo League finals behind three-time champion La Cañada on Nov. 2.
Meanwhile, the Tigers boys’ cross-country team narrowly missed a collective trip to the state meet following an eighth-place finish at the CIF Southern Section Championships in the Division IV race.
However, Keeran Murray was the lone Tigers participant in the Division IV boys’ race at Woodward Park. The senior came in 84th with a time of 16:58.1.
“I’m just super proud of both the boys and girls teams for doing so well this whole season and setting up high goals,” Parkinson said.
Murray, the Rio Hondo League individual champion, qualified for the state meet, coming in 13th at 14:53.6. The South Pasadena boys’ team came away with yet another Rio Hondo League title on Nov. 2, outpacing rival La Cañada in the race.
“Keeran put himself out there,” said Parkinson of Murray, who also experienced some illness going into the race. “Overall, Keeran has a lot to look forward to for track season as he was sixth in state last year in the 800 meters, so we’re hoping for a top-three finish, maybe even win the whole thing. We have a lot to look forward to and a lot to be grateful for.”
St. Francis won its second straight CIF State Division IV title, holding off JSerra 66-124 to retain the school’s state crown. The individual winner of the state meet was Emmanuel Perez, a senior from Cathedral who clocked in at 14:45.5.
“We’re always climbing that ladder trying to get to that next rung,” Parkinson said. “But that’s the journey and that’s the great thing about this sport and all sports is that you always have great things to shoot for, and along the way, you can hopefully smell the roses.”
First published in the December 1 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
